Cuffed
by AliceAtHeart
Summary: Delilah Swan, the older sister of Bella Swan, decides to move back to Forks after reports of her sister's depression. She hasn't seen her friends from the reservation in over a decade. Why are they all being so secretive? And why does Paul Lahote keep showing up everywhere she goes? Paul/OC imprint story.
1. About

_**Cuffed**_

AN: I want to thank every one of you in advance for checking out my story! I'm going to take my time with this story so that I don't fizzle out or rush the ending. That means, there will probably only be one update a week. I hope this doesn't discourage you from reviewing! I love reviews and knowing that people actually enjoy my work! Enjoy the story!

I just wanted to give a bit of a disclaimer. There will be some side OC/OC in the beginning of the story. I know in the past, people have gotten angry at me for something like that, but a story needs tension! Trust me when I say, it'll all work out. Paul is endgame!

This takes place after NM. The whole pack is phased, and Charlie knows about all the supernatural stuff. Delilah is 20 and Paul is 22.

Title: Cuffed

Rating: M for language and sexual content

Pairing: Paul/FOC side OC/OC

Genre: Romance

Summary: Delilah Swan, the older sister of Bella Swan, decides to move back to Forks after reports of her sister's depression. She hasn't seen her friends from the reservation in over a decade. What are they all being so secretive? And why does Paul Lahote keep showing up everywhere she goes? Paul/OC imprint story.


	2. Chapter One: Welcome to Forks

**Chapter One**

 _Welcome to Forks_

* * *

Lilah nearly groaned as she attempted to hold her phone with her shoulder and hoist her large suitcase of the belt at the same time. "I doubt your prayers and good vibes have anything to do with the plane landing safely, mom." She sighed as Renee prattled on about crystals. "Look, Vince will be there to get Major in a few days, and he's going to drive him up here. Just deal with him for now." Vince was Lilah's long-term boyfriend. They had met at the academy and happened to be partnered together later on. Major – her German Shepard had worked alongside them. Delilah couldn't just move without her dog. She and Vince were going to try and make things work long distance, and maybe in a few months he would transfer to Forks as well. "Alright, mom. I love you. Bye." Hanging up, Lilah took a deep, steadying breath before heading to the waiting taxis.

The drive to Forks was familiar in a déjà vu sort of way. She remembered the lush greens and dampened landscapes from her childhood, but it had been over a decade since Delilah had seen them in person. Unlike Bella, Lilah didn't come to visit every summer. It wasn't personal, she was just older, and therefore, busier. She managed to graduate high school a year earlier than intended, and graduated the academy at nineteen. Not many twenty year olds could honestly say they were an accomplished police officer. Charlie had been a big inspiration in Delilah's career choice. Renee had always said how much like her father Lilah was, so the decision practically made itself. The last time she had seen her dad was when he flew to Arizona to see her graduate the academy. He even teared up a little. While Bella tended to favor Renee, Lilah had always been somewhat of a daddy's girl.

Her eyes turned to the old brick building that hadn't changed much from her childhood as the cab came to a stop. The worn _Forks Police_ sign had been replaced, and some of the trees were taller, but other than that, it was like taking a step back in time. Hardly anything ever changed in Forks. It was like a town where time stood still and excitement went to die. "Thanks." Lilah smiled to the driver as he helped her with her suitcase. Charlie had promised her a cruiser, but only because he didn't know she had had her motorcycle sent down a few days prior. Charlie wasn't exactly a fan on them, but when he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

Leaving her suitcase with the officer at the front desk, Lilah slowly made her way back to the chief's office. She smiled as she stood in the doorway, watching Charlie's face twist in concentration. She wasn't sure if it was what was on the computer screen, or the computer itself that made him look so frustrated. Like the town, Charlie had hardly changed with time. His hair was a little greyer around the edges, his eyes not as hard and serious as they once were. He had frown lines and crow's feet, though Lilah knew those were from laughing.

"Hey dad." She smiled lightly as her father's eyes – so much like her own – turned to her.

"Delilah." Charlie's smile was tired but genuine. "You weren't supposed to get in for a few more days. Did you take a cab all the way from Seattle? That must have cost a fortune." He stood and rounded his desk, quickly pulling Lilah into a hug. It was funny – she remembered him being so much bigger. Larger than life even. Now he just seemed… human.

"Mom was driving me crazy so I thought it would be good to come get settled in before I start on Monday. The cab was actually pretty cheap. I called in advance and got a good rate." She smiled easily as she pulled away from the hug. There was no trace of Renee in Lilah. She was most definitely Charlie's daughter – a little carbon copy…. Minus the mustache.

"A few of the guys from the rez are still working on your place. You should be able to stay there. It's most exterior stuff."

"That's not a problem. I should buy them lunch or something." Lilah had been close to the guys on the rez growing up. Sam Uley and Paul Lahote had been her best friends up until she moved away. She wondered if they were still gangly and awkward. They had just been hitting puberty when she left. She had certainly grown into her body over the years, police training keeping her lean and muscular. While Lilah wouldn't say she was blessed in breast department, she couldn't complain – and Vince certainly didn't either. Despite her job, she kept her hair long and wavy – as per Renee's request. She had gotten so used to it at this point, cutting it would be like cutting off a limb. "Why don't you stop by after work."

"Sure thing, Lilah." Charlie smiled lightly. After the paperwork was signed, Lilah received the keys to what would be her cruiser. It might have been nepotism, but she doubted anyone had enough of a problem with Charlie to say anything about it.

With one more goodbye, Lilah loaded up her new cruiser and punched the address into her GPS. The house was only a block away from Charlie's, but it had been so long since Lilah had been there, she was sure she would get lost. She recognized the house right away, though not because of the countless pictures she had been looking through online. What really made the house stick out was the half dozen shirtless native boys repairing the outside. When Lilah had first heard how much work the house would need, she was skeptical, but Charlie personally inspected it and promised he could get 'the guys' to take care of it for pretty cheap. A few of them turned to look at the car as she parked in the driveway, but then got right back to work. At least they were efficient.

Delilah watched the boys – though the term seemed insulting. A few of them were most certainly men. She didn't recognize anyone right away, but that could be because she had been nine when she last saw them. "Shit." Lilah jumped with a curse as her phone blared from the cup holder. She answered without looking at the name, if only to make the noise stop. "Officer Swan."

"You're off duty, babe." Vince's amused voice rang through the line. "You can drop the officer."

"Hey, Vince." Lilah breathed a light laugh, glad to hear his voice. "Miss me yet?"

"Of course I do. I can't say Major feels the same though. I fed him my leftover pizza."

"You know that'll just make him fat and lazy." Lilah rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"That's the best way for a dog to be. He's old, Del. He deserves some couch potato time."

"Just go easy on him, okay. I want him back in fighting shape when you bring him up." Lilah smiled. "I just got to the house, so I'll call you later, okay?" She asked, her voice trailing off. They weren't quite at the 'I love you' stage yet, but it was getting there. This move would be a real test for their relationship.

"Sure thing. Talk to you soon."

Pocketing the phone, Lilah grabbed her keys and threw her door open. She stepped out only to nearly fall back into her seat when she bumped into a very broad, very bare chest. "Watch it there, Slugger."

Lilah's lips instantly pulled into a smile. There was only one guy that had ever called her Slugger. Paul Lahote. He was most certainly still very tall, but not at all gangly. His muscles seemed to ripple under his skin as he shifted a large bag of potting soil up higher on his shoulder. The cut offs he wore – the _only_ thing he wore - hung dangerously low on his hips, framing prominent hipbones and tight abs. A bead of sweat running between his pecs caught Delilah's eyes, and she followed its trail up the long column of his neck, to the strong, stern set of his jaw. His full lips were cocked in smirk that seemed very at home on his handsome face. His hair was no longer long and braided, but cropped like the shorts he wore and just as fitting. What made Lilah's breath catch, however, was the deep warmth of those chocolate brown eyes that seemed to widen the slightest bit when she caught them. "Paul…" She breathed his name like a caress, her pouty lips pulling into a small smile as a strange sensation gathered in the pit of her stomach and at the base of her spine.


	3. Chapter Two: Fighting the fall

**Chapter Two**

 _Fighting the fall_

* * *

Paul didn't mind a little hard work, especially if it put some extra cash in his pocket. Other than the Cullen's, there were no vampires to hunt down, and fighting with Jacob or Jared got old. He liked Emily and Sam's place well enough, but the way they were always all over each other was sickening – like watching his parents get it on. Even if the job paid nothing, he would have helped. Chief Swan had saved his ass more times than he would have cared to admit, and Delilah… well, she was Delilah. They had been best friends growing up. Though, he admittedly had had a crush on her. He teased her, as most young boys with crushes did. She acted like a boy (or at least wasn't into all that frilly girly shit), so he had nicknamed her Slugger. He had pulled on her braids and ditched her when they rode bikes – he always came back, but not until she was good and angry. Paul liked Lilah most when she was angry.

Paul's eyes lifted as a cruiser pulled into the driveway, and a feminine voice rang out from inside. Even through the glass, he could make out her angular face and full lips. "Not bad." He smirked over at Sam, who just shook his head. "Oh come on man, I know you've got Em, but you can at least appreciate another hot chick…"

"No, Paul, I can't." Sam all but scowled as he dragged a paintbrush over the garage door. "The imprint makes it impossible to really even look at another woman. Besides, that's Delilah, not 'some hot chick'."

"She can be two things." Paul smiled as he hauled a large bag of soil up to his shoulder. "Sounds like she has a boyfriend anyway." He turned and made his way down the driveway when he was nearly ran over by Lilah – on foot. "Watch it there, Slugger." He smirked at the smile that spread across her pale face.

She might still have been 'Slugger', but her body was all woman. His eyes glided over the swell of her full hips that dipped into a narrow waist that disappeared behind sizeable breasts. He followed the trail over her sharp collarbone and pointed jaw before her warm brown eyes caught his own. Paul felt his body stiffen as the world around them melted away. There was no sound – no movement… there was only her. His anchor. Delilah Swan had become his world in a matter of moments. He tried to force his eyes away as she said his name like a prayer – like the women he bedded. Fuck, there had been so many. And she… had a boyfriend.

"Uh oh…" He heard Quil laugh from his perch on the ladder. If Paul wasn't so enthralled, he might have kicked it out from under him.

"It's been a while, Lilah." He smiled softly, nearly forgetting about the large bag of soil on his shoulder. "Or should I say, Officer." He instantly hated her job. It was dangerous and crazy. His eyes moved over her quickly, as if gunshot wounds would just appear.

"Lilah works, Paulie." She smiled as he cringed at the old nickname. He had hated it then, and hated it now, though he would put up with it if she kept smiling like that. _Shit_. He was already so whipped. "How have you been?"

"I can't complain. Graduated, been working for the council and doing some freelance construction." He jutted his jaw towards the house that was almost complete and in a lot better shape than when they had started a few weeks ago. "What about you? Keeping all those ne'er do wells off the street?"

Her laugh was light and feminine despite the harsh edge her appearance gave off. Though, Paul supposed she would have to come off that way to be taken seriously as a female cop. "I try, but there's something to be said about the American justice system. I've seen guys beat their girlfriends and walk away at the same time a guy is doing ten years for a joint." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms under her breasts. "But don't tell my dad I said that. You know what a stickler he can be for the law."

"Good ol' Chief Swan." Paul smirked. They fell into silence, their eyes locking as that weird heaviness settled around them again. It was like a pull in his chest. She was… gravitational.

"Paul, I need that soil." Sam's voice cut through the moment, a small smile pulling at his lips. Paul had been so anti-imprint, he was sure the guys would rag on him for a month.

"I'll –uh… I'll catch you later?" He asked Delilah with a small smile, though he was having a hard time convincing his feet to move.

"Sure." She smiled and waved to the others. "I want to buy you guys lunch later as a thank you. Whenever you're ready, I'll be inside. Make yourselves at home."

Paul watched her walk into the house, the subtle sway of her hips under the blanket of brown waves. Only when the door closed behind her did the other guys start in. "Oh man – She's so gonna _own_ him!" Embry barked out a laugh as Paul's face reset in a scowl.

"I love you, Lilah…" Quil imitated Paul, his chest puffed out. "Stare into my bulging muscles and fall under my spell!"

"You wanna come down here and try that again?" Paul growled, his lips pulling back over clenched teeth in a snarl.

"Knock it off you two." Sam called in a light tone, hardly working to hide his own smile. His eyes drifted over to Paul. "Delilah Swan of all people?" He chuckled and shook his head. "You ever get over her, man?"

"I was twelve when she left, Sam. It's not like I was in love with her." He finally tossed the bag of soil down. "And this imprint doesn't change anything."

The laughter stopped and Sam's expression fell. "What do you mean, Paul?"

"I mean that I'm not going to turn into some gooey-eyed moron just because I imprinted." His jaw flexed as she turned he attention to the flowerbed, ripping the back of soil open. "You heard her phone call. She has a boyfriend anyway."

"Yeah, back in Arizona." Jacob finally weighed in. It was no secret that he was still moping over the leech family returning. "Even if he was right next door, the imprint kind of trumps that."

"Not if I don't want it. I can't fall for her if I don't let myself. Imprint be damned."

"You're an idiot." Jared laughed and shook his head. "You don't stand a chance. You have no idea how powerful it really is. I say you don't make it a month before you're in love with her."

"I'll take that bet." Quil smiled. "Only I don't think he'll make it a week."

"You're both wrong." Embry shook his head as Paul's angry eyes moved to him. "He'll hold out until the boyfriend shows up. And then he'll snap."

Paul growled, throwing down the spade he had been using. "Fuck you." He spat before moving to the woods to run off some of the tension he felt. Most of it came from the fact that he knew they were right – all of them. He was already feeling the pull to go back to her – to stay by her side. He wouldn't be able to control himself when the boyfriend showed up. "Fuck imprinting." He mumbled before tearing out of his cutoffs, bounding for the cliffs of La Push.


	4. Chapter Three: Strange Beginnings

**Chapter Three**

 _Strange Beginnings_

* * *

Lilah sighed as she looked around at the boxes that sat on every flat surface of her new living room. Charlie had done a good enough job of getting the furniture set up, and she would bet anything that it was Bella that had alphabetized her books on the far shelf, but everything else was in disarray. Delilah always wanted to be the type of person who kept things just so. The type that believed there was a place for everything and everything should be in its place, but alas, in this she took after Renee. It wasn't that Lilah liked to be disorganized or cluttered, she just didn't usually have time for such things, so they were left to Vince or to lazy Sunday's when the mess became too much. Her eyes moved from the boxes on the floor to the front door opening.

Lilah's smile was instant and bright. "Belly-bear!" She practically cheered as she dodged a few boxes and jumped over a large one before pulling Bella into a tight hug.

"How come I didn't inherit any of that grace?" Bella half laughed as she wrapped her arms around Lilah.

"You've lost weight since last year." Delilah frowned as she held Bella's arms out and examined her. Charlie had warned her that Bella's boyfriend had dumped her several months prior, and that Bella had pretty much become a zombie. Now, apparently, the boy was back and so was Bella. "So… how's Edmund?"

"You know his name is Edward." Bella frowned. "I already put up with enough from Charlie. Please don't give me a hard time too." Bella frowned, crossing her arms as Lilah released them.

"All I'm saying, Bells, is that dad is a pretty good judge of character – he _is_ a cop after all. Besides, I'm not going to like any guy that breaks my little sister's heart." Delilah said matter-of-factly.

"Well, why don't you come to dinner at his house tomorrow and judge for yourself? Dad will be there too."

Lilah smiled easily. She would love to give the little punk a once over. She'd bring her gun for good measure. "Sounds like a plan." She offered as the front door opened again.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow!" Bella called as she pushed past Paul, who seemed to give her a wide birth.

"Sorry didn't mean to interrupt." He offered her a lazy smile, one that made her go weak at the knees like some cliché harlequin protagonist.

Lilah shook her head, waving him off. She wasn't blind – certainly not stupid. Paul had grown up to be an attractive man, and if she were single, she might seriously consider muddying their once-friendship with a quick romp in her new bed. But she wasn't single, so friends they would remain. "No interruptions." She smiled lightly. "Bella was just inviting me to her boyfriend's house for dinner tomorrow."

Paul visibly tensed, which made Lilah raise a brow. Another person that didn't care for the Cullen's? Or maybe Paul had a thing for her baby sister? Why did that thought practically rub her raw? "You shouldn't go over there. The Cullen's… they can't be trusted." Lilah nearly sighed at that. So, it was the former.

"Trust me, Charlie has warned me plenty. He'll be there too, so at least I won't be totally alone against them. I want to check these people out for myself."

Paul's frown deepened. "I could come with you if you want. We can be catty together." He offered with a smile.

Lilah hummed in thought. It _was_ a tempting offer, but how would Vince feel? It wasn't like it was a date. More like a stakeout. "You know what? Sure. From what I hear, they're loaded so we'll eat their fancy food and judge their white on white furniture."

He chuckled deeply. "Sounds like fun." His shoulders seemed to relax. "I actually came in here to tell you that you got a delivery a few days ago." He nodded towards the door that led to the garage. "You're lucky I was here and not Charlie." Paul flipped the light as they entered the simple concrete garage.

"Oh! My bike!" Lilah nearly squealed as she ran to the tarp, pulling it off the beauty. "Oh, she's just as pretty as I remember." Delilah cooed as she laid her face against the cool gas tank.

"She?" Paul crossed his arms, an amused smirk pulling at his lips. "Your bike is a she?"

"Yes!" Lilah smiled as she threw a leg over the seat, slowly gripping the handles. "Jasmine." She purred, looking to Paul with mischievous eyes. "Want to go for a ride?"

He looked torn – like he wanted to chastise her for riding a bike, but wanted to hop on at the same time. With a sigh, it seemed the excitement won out, and a large smile spread across his face. "I don't suppose I could drive?" Paul asked as he took the offered helmet.

"No way, Lahote. You're riding bitch." Lilah laughed and pulled her own helmet on, cranking the bike to life with a shiver of excitement.

Riding had always been a source of freedom for Lilah. Renee had bought Delilah her first bike at sixteen – hoping to buy her love. It had worked. There was nothing Lilah loved more than the feel of the open road and her bike humming between her legs as she took the turns just a little _too_ deep, and just a little _too_ quickly. Every time she fought with Renee, or broke up with a boyfriend. Every time she had a bad day, or just needed to shut the world out – Jasmine had been there for her. As Lilah leaned into the turn, she found herself wondering if the racing in her chest was because of the bike, or the wall of muscle pressed against her back. Instead of dwelling on it, Lilah pushed the bike harder, laughing as her worries melted away with the breeze.

* * *

Lilah's eyebrows shot up as she stepped out of the car, hardly noticing when Paul parked behind her. The Cullen house was massive – it was a mansion, really. When her father had told her that the Cullen's had money, he seriously downplayed just _how much_ money they had. Delilah was a simple woman that enjoyed the charm of a rustic two-bedroom home, but even she could see the appeal in the Cullen home. It was all glass and class. She was sure she had never seen anything like it in Arizona.

"I hate the family, but their house is pretty sweet." Paul said simply as he came to stand beside her, hands buried in the pressed jeans he wore. His black sweater was rolled up to his elbows, the fabric looking almost heavy on him despite how thin it appeared to be. "Ready?" He smiled and nodded towards the house.

Lilah looked to Paul, her stomach dropping as they met eyes. How long had it been since she had had a crush that made her feel that way? Was that what it was? A crush? The term just seemed so… juvenile. An attraction? Yes – she was simply attracted to Paul. A crush indicated feelings, and she didn't know him well enough – or rather, remember him well enough to consider feelings. It was only when Paul's smile stretched wider that Lilah realized she was staring. "Yeah – yes…" She laughed lightly and shook her head. "Let's see if the inside is as nice as the outside."

Much to Delilah's dismay, the inside of the house (or what she could see of it from the entryway) _was_ just as nice as the outside – if not nicer. She gave Paul a small, secret smile when she noticed that the décor was in fact white on white, but held her tongue. Though nothing in the house was what Lilah would consider ostentatious, it was obvious that the Cullen's preferred the finer things in life. Her deep brown eyes turned from the grand piano as Bella and Charlie greeted them, followed by the most beautiful family Lilah had ever seen.

The Cullen's were like moving wax figures of celebrities that might have existed before Delilah's time. Everything about them looked just as rich and well-put together as the house itself. Like a stage family put in these beautiful surroundings in order to raise the appeal of the house. Lilah looked between each of them with a critical eye, listening as Bella introduced each of them by name. They were… other worldly. The perfection the Cullen's radiated was almost… eerie. There was something so utterly unsettling about their very existence. Still, Lilah smiled politely and extended her hand, ignoring the way the hairs on the back of her neck seemed to stand on end along with Paul's ridged stance. "It's nice to finally meet you. Bella has told me how much she loves all of you." Lilah nearly hissed as Edward shook her hand, his eyes hard and calculating despite his smile.

"She's told us a lot about you as well. It's nice to finally put a face to the name." The patriarch – Carlisle – offered as he shook her hand next. Paul seemed to tense more and more as she slowly made her rounds.

They lulled into an awkward silence, still standing around the entryway. After a moment, Charlie cleared his throat. "So… dinner…"

"Oh, yes!" Esme smiled widely. "I hope you like lamb." She clapped and headed towards the dining room. Exchanging a look with Paul, Lilah followed.

* * *

 **AN: Sorry the beginning here is such a slow start. I'm still getting into the groove of feeling Lilah out as a character. I knew I wanted an older woman to avoid all that teenage drama and have a character that was sure of herself as a person. It should pick up a bit in the next few chapters. I'm also playing around with the third person point of view. I usually write in the first, but I feel like the third just gives it a more polished feel.**


	5. Chapter Four: Dining with the Cullen's

**Chapter Four**

 _Dining with the Cullen's_

* * *

Under normal circumstances, Paul could hardly stand their friendly neighborhood bloodsuckers, but the idea of his imprint anywhere near them just made it that much worse. He felt his wolf pace in his mind, a growl nearly bubbling to the surface as Delilah shook hands with each of the Cullen's. The mind reader – Edward – watched Paul carefully, and he made sure to change his thoughts. They knew she was his imprint – there was no other reason he would be here. Bella knew too, but Charlie was still in the dark, and Paul planned on keeping it that way. The Chief was protective of his girls, and werewolf or not, a gun could still hurt Paul.

The leeches were talking too low for the humans in the room to hear. They wanted to know what Delilah was thinking – if she was suspicious. Paul _did_ growl that time, but luckily it was too low for Lilah to hear. _Stay the fuck out of my imprint's head_. He thought as loud as he could. It was bad enough the leech was always reading the pack's minds, he didn't need Lilah mind-raped by some nosy vamp that was worried his secret would be blown. It was a moot point anyway. Lilah was an imprint, which meant she was pack. Whether or not Paul accepted her as a mate didn't change that fact. She would know about all of them soon enough. The bloodsuckers were just lucky that Sam hadn't told Charlie the true nature of the creature dating his daughter. It wasn't exactly a good thing that Charlie knew about the pack, and they didn't see the point in dragging him any further into their world. Paul supposed he had himself to blame. He had lost it around Charlie and phased one day. Poor guy nearly had a heart attack until Bella explained – not that they needed the leech lover to do their talking for them.

If the meeting in the entryway was awkward, the beginning of dinner was just… horrible. The only saving grace was that it was pretty amusing to watch the leeches choke down human food. "Is everything okay, dear?" Esme asked Lilah, drawing the attention of everyone at the table.

Lilah smiled politely, even blushing the slightest bit. It must have been a family trait, though Paul preferred it on Lilah. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude… but… your children are all adopted, right?"

"Delilah…" Charlie's tone was warning and parental. "That's not really an appropriate question."

"That's quite alright, Charlie." Carlisle smiled easily as Edward's brow furrowed. Maybe he couldn't read Lilah either? "Yes, Delilah. They are."

"Call me Lilah." She offered with a light smile, her eyes darting between each of the Cullen's. "I was just wondering… if they're adopted, why do you all have the same eye color?" Paul chocked on a mix of lamb and a laugh. His eyes sparkled as he glanced sideways at his imprint. She was so clever. He should have expected as much from a cop. "It's just… not a common eye color. Was that like… a criteria?"

They didn't speak. Hell, they hardly moved. Paul hardly contained the light shaking of his shoulders as he tried to suppress his laugh. At the rate Delilah was going, she would figure everything out on her own. It was both terrifying and amazing. Paul couldn't help the pride that roared through him. "Delilah, you're being rude." Bella said simply, Charlie nodding in agreement, but mumbling that she had a point.

"I apologize." Lilah smiled easily. "I sometimes speak before I think."

"That's quite alright, dear." Esme offered, but her smile was tighter now. The big one changed the topic to football, which Charlie gladly ran with.

The rest of the dinner was spent on safer topics, like the weather and how Lilah was liking living back in Forks. As soon as Delilah got her coat to leave, Paul was on her heels, the smell of bleach and burnt sugar nearly burning into his mind after being in their house for a few hours. The only consolation was knowing that he left the smell of wolf all over their expensive furniture. Once he and Lilah stepped out into the cool night air, she let out a huff. He could practically hear the leeches pressing their ears to the door – not that they had to try and listen in.

"That was sufficiently awkward." Lilah's pouty lips twisted into a frown, her brows creasing in a way that upset Paul's wolf. "That family is very… strange." She offered with a shake of her head. Paul had to contain a smile. His imprint had good intuition. It didn't look like it would take much to get her to agree to stay away from them. "I mean… they were polite enough, but something about them was just weird…"

"Agreed." Paul smiled easily, ignoring the murmuring about dogs from the blonde leech inside. "The guys on the rez don't really like them. We pretty much banned them from tribal land." Actually, that was exactly what they did, but he couldn't really say that without raising suspicion. "Speaking of the guys, we're going cliff diving tomorrow morning. You should come."

When they had been younger, Paul and Lilah would watch the older members of the tribe jump from the jagged cliff face from the safety of First Beach. Even at eight they knew it was too dangerous for them to try – not that Charlie would have let Lilah get anywhere near the cliffs. Paul saw no harm in it now – especially because he would be there to protect her. After all, Lilah was his imprint. He would never purposefully put her in danger. And if he got to see her in a bathing suit, well, that was just a bonus. His smile wavered as her frown returned.

"That sounds amazing, but I have my first day tomorrow. I'll just be making traffic stops, but I can't blow it off. There's already bound to be talk of favoritism with my dad being the chief and all." Her smile came easily, lighting up her pale face. "Raincheck though?"

"Definitely."

* * *

Paul tapped his fingers in a steady beat against the side of Jacob's car, his eyes scanning the road. Paul wasn't a patient man by nature, and it seemed Lilah brought out the worst in him in that respect. He adjusted himself in the driver's seat, unintentionally revving the engine and earning a frown from Jacob who watched him carefully. Paul would have preferred to do this alone, but the only way he could get Jacob to agree to it was if he was in the car. They guys had spent the night's patrol ragging on him for taking a longer route that brought him past Lilah's house. As an imprint, she was under their protection now as well. No one complained about having to run into Forks, but he was sure Leah wouldn't be happy with the new arrangement.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Jacob's frown deepened as he reached over to turn off the radio that had been humming in the background. "What if she's not as lenient as you think? She's new to the force, right? She might have something to prove."

"She's my imprint." Paul said simply, as if that put him above the law. The truth was that he wasn't thinking logically. It had only been about fifteen hours since he had seen Lilah, and already his wolf was growing restless.

They both fell into a silence, pausing at the sound of a radio going off down the road. Grinning at Jacob, Paul put the car into drive and headed down the straight stretch of road he knew Lilah would be on. He wasn't sure how he knew – maybe it was an imprint thing. He was just _aware_ of her at all times. Practically slamming his foot against the gas, he watched the speedometer slowly rise. As it hit seventy, Jacob started to complain about the integrity of his car. By the time they passed the half-concealed cop car, the bug was at eighty six. Paul's grin only stretched further as the blue lights and sirens went off behind them.

"If my car gets impounded, you're buying me a new one." Jacob warned as Paul pulled over onto the shoulder.

"Relax. You're freaking out over nothing." Paul mumbled as he glanced in the rearview mirror, enjoying the sight of Lilah in her uniform as she walked to the car.

"License and reg- for fuck's sake!" Delilah's 'cop' voice gave way to an exasperated sigh. "Seriously Paul?"

"What seems to be the problem, Officer Slugger?" Paul smiled widely as Lilah rolled her eyes.

"You were going eighty six in a thirty five, Paul!" Lilah frowned as she leaned on the top of the car to look in at them. "Jacob, this is your car, right?" She shook her head. "The one Bella was helping you with? Why would you let this moron drive like that?"

"I'm sitting right here." Paul frowned, causing those deep chocolate eyes to turn back to him. "I was in a rush."

"Evidently." Lilah's lips pursed as she examined his face, obviously torn on what to do. "I'm going to give you a warning for going forty eight in a thirty five."

"But we were going eigh-" Jacob's voice caught with a huff as Paul slapped him in the stomach. "Right…"

"Don't let me catch you going that fast again Paul." She frowned and handed him the warning. "And if you guys are free tonight, I could use some help building an entertainment system." She smiled prettily, knowing that they couldn't refuse her after what she had just done.

"Jacob's working, but I can be at your place around seven." Paul offered, nearly giddy at the thought of seeing her again in such a short span of time.

"See you at seven." Lilah straightened out. "Get back to the rez safely boys."

Paul nearly counted down the minutes until seven that night. He was so obsessed with watching the clock, Sam kicked him out of the house because he was 'scarring the younger pack members'. It suited Paul just fine. Borrowing Jacob's car for the second time, he drove down to Forks. It was early, but he couldn't stop the pull of the imprint. Parking in Lilah's driveway, Paul stepped out of the car just as Bella walked out of the front door. His good mood immediately dissipated a bit. He hated the leech lover, but she was Delilah's sister – which meant he had to be _nice_.

"Paul." Bella said his name with as much disdain as he felt. She looked like she was warring with herself, but finally sighed and shook her head. "Look, I know that you're… that Lilah is your imprint. I just want to make sure you're not going to hurt her. I know about your reputation…"

"You don't know the first thing about me." Paul growled, keeping his voice low. He couldn't phase in Lilah's driveway. "Or imprinting if you think for a second I could hurt Lilah." He spat, his eyes hard. "Why don't you go run to your leech? I'm sure he misses the smell of your blood." Bella frowned but said nothing as Paul pushed past her. Okay, maybe nice was a bit of a stretch…


End file.
